A MUMMY IN HER BACKPACK / UNA MOMIA EN SU MOCHILA

In this bilingual book, a young girl finds a surprise upon returning from a trip to Guanajuato, Mexico.

Going back to school after a two-week vacation, fourth-grader Flor discovers a mummy named Rafael, who snuck into her backpack at a museum. Rafael, who tells Flor and her best friend Lupita to call him Rafa, had always “wanted to see los Estados Unidos.” The mummy’s delight with his new surroundings is dampened when he realizes that he will miss the Day of the Dead, the one day when his family comes to visit him at the museum. With help from the school custodian, Mr. García, Flor and Lupita concoct a plan to return Rafa to his museum home before the special day arrives. Of course, many obstacles stand in the way of their goal, but everything falls into place eventually. Luna moves the story along at a nice clip, with a text heavy on dialogue and short on description. One disappointing aspect is Flor and Lupita’s continuous ill treatment of the pesky Sandra, whose slightly annoying actions seem much less offensive than their mean-spirited reactions. The Spanish translation follows the original English version. (Illustrations were not seen.)

An innocuous Halloween and Day of the Dead book for readers who prefer to skip scarier fare.